The "Saints" are More Righteous Than We Are...

[Rick Otto]

The "Saints" are More Righteous Than We Are...

And the pigs are "more equal" than the rest of the animals on the farm.

 

[Thekla]

Put the menu on the table.
I can't place an order if I can't see what you're sellin'.

not sure what you mean

so, I'll try:

what is true can be described (language) or shown/experienced (seen)

 

[jckstraw72]

And the pigs are "more equal" than the rest of the animals on the farm.

how can you really think that you are as close to God as someone like St. Paul? It just blows my mind. I know that I am light years away from anyone like that.

 

[Rick Otto]

This is what I mean...

conflate parable and vision ...

Show me how you can do that.

 

[Rick Otto]

how can you really think that you are as close to God as someone like St. Paul? It just blows my mind. I know that I am light years away from anyone like that.

By virtue of His omnipresense.

 

[jckstraw72]

well then atheists are just as close to God as u are....

 

[sunlover1]

how can you really think that you are as close to God as someone like St. Paul? It just blows my mind. I know that I am light years away from anyone like that.

How bout this,
NONE are good, only God right? So is the God in Paul
'gooder' than the God in me?
Or is my righteousness of myself so I can boast?

If I call upon the name of the Lord, does he hear me
any less than another of HIs sons who calls upon His name?

I don't understand your way of thinking, please advise.

sunlover

 

[jckstraw72]

some of us open ourselves to God more than others. its a process of growing.

 

[mont974x4]

how can you really think that you are as close to God as someone like St. Paul? It just blows my mind. I know that I am light years away from anyone like that.

When we begin to understand just who we are in Christ, because of Him being in us and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit then we generally quit thinking so poorly of ourselves and recognize that if we are His then we are saints, priests, joint hiers...every one of us.

 

[mont974x4]

Don't mistake spiritual maturity in this.

Think about it like this, is my 4 year old any less my son than my 14 year old?

 

[Rick Otto]

well then atheists are just as close to God as u are....

Amen.
All the more reason not to think of ourselves as "more righteous".

 

[Rick Otto]

How bout this,
NONE are good, only God right? So is the God in Paul
'gooder' than the God in me?
Or is my righteousness of myself so I can boast?

If I call upon the name of the Lord, does he hear me
any less than another of HIs sons who calls upon His name?

I don't understand your way of thinking, please advise.

sunlover

some of us open ourselves to God more than others. its a process of growing.

Ok. "More Open." That would go on this thread:
" The "Saints" are More Open To God Than We Are... "

 

[Asinner]

Amen.
All the more reason not to think of ourselves as "more righteous".

Someone already mentioned this . . .

Holy Scripture states that "the prayer of a righteous man availeth much". It doesn't say "the prayers of every Christian availeth much". Could it be that there is someone out there who has more faith than Rick Otto?

Love,
Christina

 

[Rick Otto]

That would be you?
So you equate more faith with "more righteous"?
I can accept degrees of righteousness in the kind Isaiah calls "filthy rags", but the righteousness of Christ is salvific and we are either saved or not.

Is anyone more saved than the least saved?

 

[mont974x4]

It doesn't say saints in Heaven are more righteous. It doesn't say, ask the dead saints to intereced for you. It doesn't say to honor the dead with feasts, prayers, etc.

As to faith, all it takes is a mustardseed to move mountains.

 

[Asinner]

That would be you?

Not. I always think of Abraham and Noah when I think of perfect Faith.

So you equate more faith with "more righteous"?

Not only "more" Faith, but "more" Love, Humility, Meekness, Obedience, ect. It is a constant dying to self and living Christ.

I can accept degrees of righteousness in the kind Isaiah calls "filthy rags", but the righteousness of Christ is salvific and we are either saved or not.

For the rest of eternity we will spend ascending towards Christ. This ascension begins at baptism and is eternal.

Is anyone more saved than the least saved?

Union with God is the goal (theosis). You believe you have been saved. I believe this also and am being and will. It is eternal.

Love,
Christina

 

[Asinner]

Does God prefer them over us?

Hey girl ,

He desires all of each person. Sometimes we get in the way of this. Stuff like vanity, pride, laziness, gluttony, despondency, ect, ect . . . make it difficult. It affects how we Love God and our neighbor. The Saints are those who have overcome the world. They teach us how to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him, so that we can partake of Christ fully. So, to answer your question . . . No, God does not prefer one saint over another. The reality is that some saints prefer God more.

Love,
Christina

 

[sunlover1]

Hey girl ,

Hi Christina!!

How's lent going for you.
Hope it's a blessing.

He desires all of each person.

38 Now the just shall live by faith:
but if any man draw back,
my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Sometimes we get in the way of this. Stuff like vanity, pride, laziness, gluttony, despondency, ect, ect . . . make it difficult.

sin breaks fellowship with God, that's why I try to
keep a clean slate and repent and confess.
I never pray with sin between us. Those prayers
would hit the ceiling.
I first ask for His forgiveness for any known or unknown
sin, then we enter His gates with thanksgiving,
then we enter His courts with praise...
Then God leads us in prayer to pray for what is in
His heart, the Holy Spirit all the while helping us
to pray because we know not what we aught.

So all in all :

• We have access to the Father because of the righteousness of JESUS,
• We have the help of the Holy Spirit in knowing what to pray,
• We have the voice of God behind us saying this is the way, walk in it.
• And we have the mind of Christ, holding the thoughts and purposes of Christ in our hearts.
• and we have the authority of the name of Jesus to ask anything, and His (our) Father in Heaven will do it for us.

It just dont get no better than this.

It affects how we Love God and our neighbor. The Saints are those who have overcome the world. They teach us how to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him, so that we can partake of Christ fully. So, to answer your question . . . No, God does not prefer one saint over another. The reality is that some saints prefer God more.

While they dont have things of the world
to contend with, or sin (that I know of, the devil did
indeed rebel) they arent 'righteous' because of what
they do or dont do, did or didnt do?
our righteousness, through Christ, isnt any less, right?
Our 'sonhood' is complete?
Since God isnt a respecter of persons, I seriously believe
that if I pray , IN FAITH, and pray
what I KNOW to be His will,
that He will indeed hear me,
and that I will indeed have what i desire of Him.

I'm talking about spiritual things here, but he does
meet physical need as well.
Sparrows and lillies analogy etc.
Faith is what pleases God, and He
counts it as righteousness, correct?

Mark 11:22
Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain,
Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;
and shall not doubt in his heart,
but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass;
he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you,
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.






Blessings
sunlover

 

[Mary of Bethany]

That would be you?
So you equate more faith with "more righteous"?
I can accept degrees of righteousness in the kind Isaiah calls "filthy rags", but the righteousness of Christ is salvific and we are either saved or not.

Is anyone more saved than the least saved?

I think a big part of the problem with understanding each other here is that the protestants (or some of you, maybe not all) believe in Imputed Righteousness, while the Orthodox don't. Does that sound even close?

Mary

 

[sunlover1]

I think a big part of the problem with understanding each other here is that the protestants (or some of you, maybe not all) believe in Imputed Righteousness, while the Orthodox don't. Does that sound even close?

Mary

Maybe we just call it by a different name.